Tissue dispenser



Aug. 26, 1941, Q A, WIT 2,253,744

TISSUE DISPENSER Filed Sept. 25, 1939 IN VENTOR .C' rlfll f A ORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,253,744 A TISSUE DISPENSER Carl A. Witt, Detroit,-l\[ich. Application September 25, 1939, Serial No. 296,347 (o1. 242 55.5) I

4 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers and in particular to dispensers for disposable tissues and the like.

Heretofore it has been considered necessary to sell disposable tissues in cardboard boxes in which the tissues were folded in a lapped relationship in such a manner as to permit the manual removal of one tissue through a slot in the box to present the next tissue thereunder at the slot in the box ready to be pulled out by the user. However, inasmuch as the disposable tissues are so flexible as to easily become out of place and shape, the tissue being removed from the box or the tissue next below the one being removed from the box often becomes torn, distorted or tangled which requiresthe user to fish it-out from the box in its tangled or crumpled form. Also, the slot in the box from which the tissues are removed one at a time is generally sufiiciently large to permit dirt and dust to enter the box and soil the tissues contained therein.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is to provide .a dispenser for disposable tissues and the, like which is not only sanitary but-is extremely simple to manufacture and operate, and which will present at all times disposable tissue ready to be drawn therefrom without the necessity of fishing therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser for rolled disposable tissues and the like which are tearable only on an axis parallel to the axis upon which the said tissue is rolled, the said dispenser having extending lips normally spread through which the tissue may be drawn and including means for gripping the tissue by said lips after the amount of tissue desired has been drawn from therebetween, and at least one of the said lips being provided with means. against which the tissue may be torn except at one or more suitable notched portions therealong; the said tissue being adapted to tear on a line parallel with the edge of the lips past the said notch or notches therein which leaves, after tearing the desired amount of tissue from-the said dispenser, a portion of the tissue within the and a pair of normally spacedlips through which the said tissue may be drawn from the dispenser, the said lips having a notch therein extending rearwardly from the outer edges thereof, the said lips being adapted to grip the said tissue in response to manual pressure whereby to permit the said tissue to be torn at the outer edge of said lips and across the said notch therein whereupon a portion of the tissue remaining in the dispenser is presented after tearing to permit the subsequent withdrawal of more tissue from the dispenser by grasping the tissue at the notch in the said lips.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is atop plan view of a tissue dispenser embodying the invention, a portion being broken,

away to show the mounting of a roll of tissue therein. 7

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the tissue dispenser disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged detailed fragmentary elevational view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing a preferred means employed for releasably securing the lips of the tissuedispenser in a suitable spaced relationship with respect to each other. I,

' Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 515 of Fig. 4 showing the normal'position of the lips of the tissue dispenser when tissue is drawn therefrom.

Fig. 6 is 'a detailed sectional view similar to Fig. 5 Lshdwing the position of the lips ipf the tissue dispenser when the cover thereof is pressed down and with the lips thereof gripping the tissue drawn therefrom prior to tearing.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 'I'| of Fig. 1 showing the torsional spring means employed for resiliently urging the lid of the dispenser toward its open position whereby to normally maintain the lips of the said dispenser in spaced relationship to each other as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

For the purpose of illustration, the dispenser disclosed herein is shown as being constructed of a suitable thermoplastic material, however, it may of course be constructed of sheet metal stampings or the like.

Referrin now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the particular embodiment of the tissue dispenser embodying the invention disclosed therein is generally cylindrical in form and is constructed of a semi-cylindrical main body portion I9 and a semi-cylindrical cover II hinged together as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to form a housing for a roll of tissue to be dispensed. The semi-cylindrical cover II is preferably provided with laterally spaced hinge rolls I3 between which the hinge roll I2 of the main body portion In is positioned, the said hinge roll I2 of the main body portion I and the hinge rolls I3 of the semi-cylindrical cover II are impaled on a suitable hing pin I4. A torsion spring I is disposed around the said hinge pin I4 between the inner end of each of the hinge rolls I3 of the semi-cylindrical cover II' and the outer ends of the hinge roll I2 of the semi-cylindrical main body portion II] as best shown in Fig. l, the radially extending ends of the said torsion spring I5 being brought into en?- gagement with the main body portion III and cover I I in such a manner as to constantly urge the cover II to rotate around the hinge pin I4 toward its open position.

The said semi-cylindrical main body portion II] and the semi-cylindrical cover I I are provided with outwardly extending lips I8 and I9 respectively at the longitudinal joint therebetween, each extending lip IB and I9 having a centrally disposed notch 20 therein preferably of sufi'icient width to accommodate the width of the thumb of an individual who would Withdraw tissue from the tissue dispenser.

The bottom of the extending lip I9 of the main body portion III is preferably provided at each end with a pair of spaced guide members 2I through which the slidable cover securing member 22 is telescoped, the said securing member 22 being provided with a detent 23 which permits the said slidable cover securing member 22 to be slid sufficiently far to be free from its engagement with the topoof the extending lip I9 of the cover II. The said slidable cover securing member 22 has a stop 24 disposed in suitable spaced relationship with respect to the extending lip I8 of the semi-cylindrical main body portion I Ilto engage the extending lip I9 of the semi-cylindrical cover II and hold the same in suitable spaced relationship with respect to the said extending lip E8 of the semi-cylindrical main body portion II] to permit tissue indicated by the numeral 25 throughout the drawing to be withdrawn from the tissue dispenser with relative ease.

The said stop 24 holds the said lips I8 and I9 sufficiently close together to retard the movement of the tissue 25 to prevent the edge of the tissue 25 from being pulled back into the main body portion I9 out of reach of the user by any backward rotation of wooden pin 25 due to the tissue and/or the pin 25 being other than concentric. The said lips I8 and I9, as stated in the preceding paragraph, are held sufiiciently close together to permit the tissue 25 to be withdrawn from the dispenser with relative ease. In other words, there is a slight retarding of the movement of the tissue 25 by the lips I8 and I9 from between which the tissue is dispensed. The crimping of the tissue 25 by such means as employing complementary protuberances I6 and groovesII in the lips I8 and I9 respectively will prevent unwanted movement of the tissue 25, and, at the same time, the tissue 25 may be withdrawn from the dispenser with relative ease.

The tissue 25 or the like which is to be dispensed from the dispenser herein disclosed is of the type tearable only on an axis parallel to the axis upon which the tissue or the like is rolled. The said tissue 25 is supplied in rolls which are preferably rotatably mounted within the tissue dispenser on a suitable wooden pin 26 supported at its end in U-shaped brackets 2'! secured to the end walls 28 of the said tissue dispenser all as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The end walls 28 of the dispenser preferably depend from the main body portion I0 and form pedestals 29 upon which the dispenser may be set. Suitable apertures 39 are provided through said pedestals 29 to admit of the dispenser being secured, to a table or the like. The pedestals 29 may be oriented 45 degrees to a position opposite the lips IB'and I9 whereupon the said pedestals 29 would serve as brackets to admit of the dis penser being secured to a wall or the like.

A finger tab 3I preferably marked Press 8: Tear may be formed on the semi-cylindrical cover II just above the lip I9 which enables the user to pressthe cover II down against the spring action of the torsion spring I5 and cause the lips I8 and I9 to grip the tissues firmly therebetween whereby to permit the said tissue to be torn ofi along the'front line of the rather sharpupper extending lip I9 of the said cover the said complementary protuberance I6 and groove I! need not be employed if the nature of the tissue or thelike to be dispensed does not require a hard pull 'during tearing.

When tissue is to be used'from the dispenser, it is grasped at the thumb width notch 20 in each of the outward extending-lips I8 and I9 and drawn from therebetween until a sheet of the desired lengthis withdrawn. The user then grasps the Withdrawn tissueat one or the other sides thereof and tears it off along the lip I9 which leaves a portion of the tissue 259 at the thumb width notch 20 in each of theoutward extending lips I8 and I9 presenting itself to the subsequent user of tissue. from the dispenser.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in, detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention, and itois not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than by the terms of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a dispenserfor disposable tissues or the like of a type tearable parallel to the axis-upon which the tissue is rolled, means in said dispenser for rotatably supporting a roll ofsaid tissue or the like, the said dispenser having a longitudinally disposed slot'therethrough through which tissue may bewithdrawn therefrom, a pair of axially disposed lips extending outwardly from said dis penser one at each side of said longitudinally disspect to each other; the saidlips having complementary longitudinally disposed deformations therein normally lightly crimping and thereby holding tissue or the like from movement when not being withdrawn from the dispenser and yet permitting said tissue or the like to be withdrawn from said dispenser from between said lips with relative ease, the said lips being formed togrip saidtissueor the like when manually urged together and to present a relatively sharp outer tearing edge against which tissue may be torn after withdrawal from said dispenser, each of said lips having a notch therein opposite a like notch in the other lip across which the said tissue or the like tears on line with the outer edge of said lips whereby to present additional tissue or the like on the roll at said notches easily accessible for withdrawal from the dispenser.

2. In a dispenser for disposable tissues or the like of a type tearable parallel to the axis upon which the tissue is rolled, means in said dispenser for rotatably supporting a roll of said tissue or the like, the said dispenser having a longitudinally disposed slot therethrough through which tissue may be withdrawn therefrom, a pair of axially disposed lips extending outwardly from said dispenser one at each side of said longitudinally disposed slot therethrough, means normally urging said lips in limited spaced relationship with respect to each other, the said lips having complementary longitudinally disposed deformations therein normally lightly crimping and thereby holding tissue or the like from movement when not being withdrawn from the dispenser and yet permitting said tissue or the like to be withdrawn from said dispenser from between said lips with relative ease, the said lips being adapted to be manually urged together to grip tissue proior to tearing therefrom and formed to present a relatively sharp outer tearing edge against which tissue may be torn.

3. In a dispenser for disposable tissues of a type tearable parallel to the axis upon which the tissue is rolled, the main body portion of the dispenser being adapted .to receive and rotatably support a roll of said tissue, a cover for said dispenser hinged to the main body portion thereof, an extending lip on said main body portion and on said cover at the longitudinal joint therebetween, resilient means for normally urging said cover towards its open position and said lips apart, means limiting the opening between said lips to just sufiicient space to permit tissue to be withdrawn therethrough, the said lips having deformations therein normally lightly crimping and thereby holding tissue from movement when not being withdrawn from the dispenser and yet permitting the tissue to be withdrawn with relative ease, the said lips each having a notch therein at which tissue is always presented for withdrawal from said dispenser, and a tearing edge provided on the outer edge of one of said lips against which tissue withdrawn from the dispenser is torn after manually urging said lips together, the said tissue tearing on a line with the outer edge of said lips across said notches therein whereby to always present tissue within easy grasp for additional withdrawal from said dispenser.

4. A dispenser for rolled disposable tissues or the like which are tearable only on an axis parallel to the axis upon which the said tissue is rolled, the said dispenser comprising 'amain body portion and a cover portion hinged together, means for rotatably supporting a roll of tissue or the like in said dispenser, an outwardly extending lip on said main body portion and said cover at the longitudinal joint therebetween, resilient means normally spacing said lips sufficiently to permit the said tissue to be drawn therethrough, the said lips being formed with complementary deformations therein adapted to lightly crimp and thereby hold the said tissue when not being withdrawn from the dispenser yet permitting the said tissue to be withdrawn with relative ease and to grip tissues therebetween responsive to manual pressure on said cover member, means on at least one of said lips against which tissue may be torn, the said lips having oppositely disposed notches therein at which said tissue will tear on a line parallel with the outer edges of said lips when tissue is torn from said dispenser; a portion of the tissue remaining connected to the roll of tissue within said dispenser being exposed for gripping by the user at the said notches in said lips when additional tissue is desired to be removed from said dispenser.

CARL A. WI'I'I. 

